Irish fashion designer Paul Costelloe turned back time on the London Fashion Week runway with his Sixties-inspired spring/summer 2025 collection.
Costelloe, 79, is known for his elegant and classic tailoring, blending traditional and contemporary design.
The Dublin-born designer regularly dressed Diana, Princess of Wales, and his timeless pieces have also been worn by stars such as model Vogue Williams and presenter Laura Whitmore.
Costelloe’s spring/summer collection debuted at the Waldorf Hilton in London. The bright white marble atrium was the perfect setting to showcase his airy and Parisian-inspired designs.
The collection was titled ‘Le ciel est bleu,’ meaning the sky is blue in French – which Costelloe delivered in abundance.
The show began with a flooding of cornflower blue – Sixties swing dresses and preppy pleated workwear drenched the runway in an ode to the ultra feminine, smart and sophisticated street style of 1960s Paris.
In quintessential Costelloe-style, the designer didn’t shy away from tricky fabrics.
He showcased his mastery of tailoring through sartorial Irish linen jumpsuits, silk jacquard skirts and wool blazers reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy’s timeless First Lady wardrobe.
While blues reigned supreme, Costelloe introduced shades of rose, mint green and buttercup yellow to represent the pastels of spring.
“Open your eyes, breathe the spring air,” Costelloe wrote in the show notes. “The blossoms are peeping out through their pale green leaves and the daffodils have opened their yellow bells.”
In true ‘Jackie Style’ the models strutted the runway in beehives and rounded bouffants, donning Chanel-inspired tweed and retro glamour.
But it wasn’t all stiff-upper lip sensibilities. Costelloe had fun with playful silhouettes, featuring bubble skirts and balloon sleeves that captured the whimsical spirits of a “youthful Midsummer Night’s Dream”, the designer wrote in his show notes.
As the show progressed, exaggerated ruffles and feminine frills brought some Parisian melodrama to an otherwise bashful runway.
Costelloe closed the show with his first ever bridal collection, which featured three wedding dresses in crisp satin finishes.
The classic silhouettes were adorned with looping bows and blooming roses, embodying a true romantic elegance.
Stars sitting front row included model Lady Delphi Primrose, TV broadcaster Precious Muir and twin sisters Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer.
Made In Chelsea star Paris Smith was also front row, and said of the clothes: “The palette was utterly gorgeous – very South of France – it’s one of my favourite Paul Costelloe collections to date.”
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